The Lost Baby
by tinylexie
Summary: The events leading to the loss of Lucius's and Narcissa's first child. Sequel to "A Proper Wedding, An Improper Secret." Part of the Dead Babies series.
1. Life at Malfoy Manor

**Author's Note****: This is a sequel to "A Proper Wedding, An Improper Secret," but the most important thing to remember for this story is that Narcissa became pregnant before her marriage to Lucius. This story is also sadder than its prequel.**

**Additional Author's Note****: I have read many Lucissa stories in which Narcissa suffered several miscarriages before finally giving both to Draco, so I want to thank all those writers of those particular stories for giving me that idea for this story.**

**Another Author's Note****: Lucius and Narcissa are still fresh out of Hogwarts in this fic. Narcissa had just graduated, and Lucius had graduated just a year earlier.**

* * *

><p>Lucius was away during the day, which left Narcissa alone at the manor with Abraxas Malfoy.<p>

Narcissa had always been afraid of Abraxas Malfoy, even before she had learned in her Hogwarts years that he often abused Lucius. And her fear and her hatred of Abraxas had only grown since her marriage to Lucius.

Lucius, for his part, had wanted to move out of Malfoy Manor after the wedding; but his father had reminded him that Pureblood males never left their ancestral home. It just would not have been proper. Besides, Abraxas had given official ownership of the manor to his only son (with, of course, the legal condition that Lucius could never ask his father to leave). For all purposes, Lucius was now the head of the household. And as the head of the household, it was Lucius's duty to stay at Malfoy Manor, so that he could maintain it and keep it in good condition.

Despite all this, however, Lucius had begun to pack up his and Narcissa's things soon after their wedding. Even his father threatening him and throwing hexes at him had not been enough to stop the younger Malfoy. Lucius's only response had been to throw hexes back at his father.

The reason for all this was simple. Lucius wanted no more part of his ancestral home. He hated the place. It had never felt like a home to him. In fact, it has always felt more like a prison to him. It definitely didn't help that his father had often locked him up in the dungeons below when he had been a child.

It look Narcissa to convince Lucius to stay at Malfoy Manor. It was his duty, after all. And it was proper. Narcissa had also wanted to avoid the huge mess and chaos that Abraxas would have no doubt created if Lucius had actually left. Abraxas was no longer as much of a public figure as he had been in his youth (that was now Lucius's duty as well), but that didn't mean he didn't still hold influence and power.

Abraxas, therefore, still had the ability to publicly make life miserable for Lucius and Narcissa. The elder Malfoy would prefer to avoid this, of course, as he didn't want to do anything to ruin the reputation of the family name. But it was also no secret that Abraxas hated Lucius with a burning passion. Yes, Abraxas Malfoy would be willing to sacrifice his public image if that was what it would take to keep his son under control.

Narcissa had quickly learned that it was up to her to maintain some degree of peace between the two Malfoy men. It was not enough to say that they both hated each other. 'Hate' just was not a strong enough word to describe the often violent, combative relationship between father and son. Screaming matches and the use of Dark Magic were perfectly normal, and such occurrences happened almost on a daily basis.

A strong part of Narcissa honestly wanted to leave Malfoy Manor with Lucius.

But another strong part of her also wanted to avoid an all-out Malfoy war.

Lucius, understanding Narcissa's reasoning (even if he still didn't like it), had eventually agreed that they would stay at Malfoy Manor. Lucius, however, had made it clear to his father that there would be severe consequences if he ever did anything to hurt Narcissa. He didn't care if he wasn't able to legally throw his father out. Lucius would have no problem with using illegal, dark methods to get rid of his father, and Abraxas realized that very clearly.

For her part, Narcissa stayed away from all the rooms that she knew Abraxas tended to frequent.

And for his part, Abraxas also made it his goal to avoid Narcissa as much as possible. It was no secret that the elder Malfoy hated his daughter-in-law almost as much as he hated his son.

It came as a great surprise (and not a pleasant surprise either) to Narcissa, therefore, when Abraxas one day approached her in what had quickly become her favorite study in the manor. It also happened to be a study that was usually Abraxas-free.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Malfoy?" Narcissa asked politely, even if there was a trace of coldness in her voice.

"I just wanted to check on how my future grandchild is doing," Abraxas replied, trying but failing to sound innocent. "You can't imagine how pleased I was when you fell pregnant so soon after your marriage to my son. I swear, it was like you were pregnant just days after the wedding." Abraxas looked at Narcissa with a hint of suspicion on his face.

Narcissa, for her part, did not betray anything. It was true that Lucius had to make sure that their wedding happened a few months earlier than had originally been planned, but Narcissa had thought that he had done so smoothly. Lucius, after all, needed to make sure that he had an heir in case something ever happened to him while he was in service to the Dark Lord.

"I come from a family with multiple children," Narcissa said smoothly.

Abraxas smirked, clearly not buying his daughter-in-law's reasoning. He let it pass, though.

"I just hope the child is a boy," Abraxas said instead. "I must admit, though, I am a little worried about that. Especially since _you_ come from parents that were never able to produce any boys. Quite disappointing, really."

"Lucius doesn't care either way," Narcissa replied, her voice still polite, even if it was notably more hostile than it had been a moment ago. "He will be happy with either a boy or a girl."

"But a _boy_ is necessary for the Malfoy name to be carried on to the next generation," Abraxas responded.

"Lucius isn't worried about that."

"Lucius is a fool."

"Enough," Narcissa breathed dangerously, standing up. "I will not allow you to speak of my husband that way. He is a better man than you could ever hope to be. Now leave me, or I will send a letter to Lucius. I seriously doubt he would be pleased to learn that his father was bothering his wife, especially after he had given his father a warning to leave his wife alone."

Abraxas merely sneered. He did, however, leave the room without another word.

Narcissa sighed in relief as she sat back down on the couch where she had been reclining before her father-in-law's sudden, unexpected appearance. Perhaps she and Lucius should have left Malfoy Manor after all.


	2. Duty vs Family

"You look nervous, Narcissa," Lucius remarked with concern. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," Narcissa answered. "It's just that this is my first checkup on our baby, and I'm worried about whether or not I've been doing all the right things. I want our baby to come out perfect."

"Our baby _will _be perfect," Lucius spoke soothingly, kissing his wife lightly on her cheek, "and I know that you will be a wonderful mother because you already are."

"You always know the right thing to say," Narcissa smiled. "Okay. I'm ready to go now."

Lucius took Narcissa's hand. At that moment, however, he felt the Dark Mark on his left arm burning. He hissed in irritation. Out of all the times that the Dark Lord had to summon him, it just had to be at this moment.

"What is it?" Narcissa asked in concern.

"It's the Dark Lord," Lucius answered.

"Then you better go to him," Narcissa responded, keeping her voice empty of emotion.

"I doubt it's urgent," Lucius said. "Besides, the Dark Lord has the other Death Eaters that he can use. I can make my excuses to him later."

"No, Lucius," Narcissa spoke. "I appreciate that you want to come with me, but I'll be fine by myself. I'm just going to St. Mungo's, and I already know where I need to go and who I need to see when I get there. You already took care of all that for me. I can handle it from here. You need to go to the Dark Lord. I don't want him angry at you. I'll just tell Healer Roberts that you had urgent business at the Ministry."

"But it's our baby's first checkup," Lucius said in a choked voice. "What if I have questions I want to ask?"

"I'll tell Roberts that you will set up an appointment with him later, when you have time," Narcissa replied. "Everything will be just fine, Lucius. I'll tell you all about my checkup when I see you later."

"You know I would rather go with you," Lucius responded.

"I know," Narcissa replied, "but I also know that it is unwise to disobey the Dark Lord."

Lucius released his hold on Narcissa's hand with great reluctance. "I will see you later then," he said in a voice that betrayed nothing.

"Of course." Narcissa's voice also didn't betray anything.

* * *

><p>A raid on a Muggle village. That was why the Dark Lord had summoned him away from his wife and his baby. To raid a Muggle village.<p>

Not that Lucius had any problems with torturing some Muggles, of course. He just would rather be with Narcissa at the moment. She needed him more than the Muggles needed to be taught a lesson.

"Who would like to go?" the Dark Lord asked. "Which of my Death Eaters are truly faithful to our cause?"

Bellatrix raised up her arm like an eager schoolgirl. Lucius rolled his eyes. Of course Bellatrix would volunteer first, and of course she would volunteer with such joy.

Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange also indicated that they would go with Bellatrix. No surprise there. Those two followed Bellatrix wherever she went.

Several other Death Eater also agreed to go. Satisfied, the Dark Lord dismissed the rest of them.

* * *

><p>"How did it go?" Lucius asked Narcissa over dinner later that night. "Are you and the baby doing okay?"<p>

"So far, everything looks to be perfectly normal," Narcissa replied. "Healer Roberts told me to keep on doing what I've been doing."

"Did the Healer by any chance tell you whether or not the baby is going to be a boy?" came Abraxas Malfoy's voice.

Lucius and Narcissa turned their heads to look as Abraxas walked into the room.

"Well," Abraxas drawled, "is it a boy or not?"

"I didn't even think to ask," Narcissa responded coldly.

"That's why the thinking should not be left to _you_," Abraxas sneered.

Lucius stood up so quickly and so violently that he knocked his chair over. He made to go for his wand, but Narcissa quickly placed a restraining hand on his arm.

"No, Lucius, don't," Narcissa spoke. "Just ignore him. I don't care what he says about me. All that matters to me is how you think of me."

"Are you actually going to listen to her, Lucius?" Abraxas asked mockingly. "Have you no pride in yourself? Are you actually going to allow yourself to be ruled by a woman?"

"Enough, Father," Lucius snarled. "You _will _respect Narcissa. She is the mistress of this manor."

"But are you not this manor's master?"

"Of course I am. You most certainly are not."

"Then why are you taking orders from your wife? Are you not the husband, the head of the household?"

"Just leave, Father. Go eat dinner in your study. You know you are not welcomed here with us."

"You want to hex me, don't you, Lucius?" Abraxas taunted.

Despite Narcissa's hand on his arm, Lucius pulled out his wand and pointed it at his father.

Narcissa stood up and attempted to pull back Lucius's arm, so that his wand was no longer pointed at Abraxas.

"Let me go, Narcissa," Lucius snarled. "I don't want to hit you accidentally."

"Especially if the baby is a boy," Abraxas remarked with a smirk.

"Enough, Father!" Lucius screamed. "It does not matter to _me_ if the baby is a boy or a girl!"

"It _should_ matter to you," Abraxas responded. "You really are a disappointment. I can only hope that your _son_ does not turn out to be as much as a failure as you."

Lucius yanked his arm away from Narcissa's grip and shot a curse at his father. Abraxas, however, had already drawn his wand by this point; and he managed to block his son's attack.

"You have to do better than that, Son."

"Lucius," Narcissa pleaded from behind him. "Please, stop before someone gets hurt."

Lucius turned his head to look at his wife. "You're right," he said. "You're in the room."

"Truly pathetic," Abraxas sneered before taking his leave.

"You shouldn't let him get to you," Narcissa spoke. "He's nothing more than a bitter old man. He's not worth your time. Come, let us finish dinner. I want to tell you more about what Healer Roberts said."

The mention of the Healer's name seemed to calm Lucius down, at least for the moment.

* * *

><p>Lucius heard a knock on his study's door. He knew by it softness that it was Narcissa.<p>

"Come in, Narcissa," Lucius called out. "I'm not busy."

The door opened and Narcissa entered. It was now very clear that she was pregnant.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit," Lucius smiled.

"Oh, I was just wondering if you would like to go shopping with me," Narcissa said. "There's a few more items that I want to pick up for our baby."

"Of course," Lucius responded. "I wasn't working on anything important anyways. Besides, I could use some fresh air."

Lucius began to make his way towards Narcissa. Then, his Mark burned.

Lucius shot Narcissa a look of annoyance. Narcissa just nodded her head in understanding.

"I'll enjoy showing off all the items that I buy when I see you later," Narcissa spoke, trying her best to smile. "And I'll be able to take my time now. I know how much you hate shopping for extended periods of time, and you know that I could shop forever if I was allowed to."

"That's true," Lucius smiled weakly. "Enjoy yourself. I'll see you as soon as I can."

* * *

><p>"There are several Blood Traitors that are starting to become a threat to us," the Dark Lord spoke. "Lucius."<p>

"Yes, my Lord." Lucius managed to keep his voice respectful.

"Knowledge is your greatest weapon," the Dark Lord said. "You know how to gather information without being noticed. I need you to observe these Blood Traitors, so that we will know when it will be the best time to attack them."

Lucius knew that this mission was important. After all, these Blood Traitors could eventually end up becoming a threat towards him personally. But Lucius also knew that gathering information on them and their daily routines would be time-consuming.

Narcissa was drawing nearer and nearer to her due date. Lucius needed to be able to go to her quickly if she had an emergency.

But Narcissa would want Lucius to do his duty to the Dark Lord. She understood the importance of preserving blood purity.

"Are you all right, Lucius?" the Dark Lord asked. "It is not like you to take this long to speak."

Several of the other Death Eaters snickered. Lucius ignored them, his attention fully on the Dark Lord.

"I am ready to serve you, my Lord," Lucius spoke calmly. "These Blood Traitors need to be eliminated. A message needs to be sent that we won't tolerate anyone standing in our way."

"Well spoken," the Dark Lord smiled. "The rest of you may leave now. You stay here, Lucius."

As soon as the rest of the Death Eaters were gone, the Dark Lord drew closer to Lucius.

"Is there something on your mind, Lucius?" the other man asked. "You have not been your usual self lately."

"What do you mean, my Lord? Forgive me for asking this, but have my reports on the latest movements within the Ministry not been good enough?"

"The information has been good," the Dark Lord confirmed, "but it has been lacking your usual detail. You have been giving me just the bare minimum as of late. That is not like you. Is there something else going on in your life that you find to be more important than serving me?"

"No, my Lord, of course not."

"Your wife is expecting her first child soon, isn't she?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"And you are looking forward to that?"

"Of course I am. But that is not going to affect my loyalty to you in any way."

"Make sure it remains that way, Lucius," the Dark Lord said in a deceptively pleasant voice.

"Yes, my Lord. Now, tell me, who are these Blood Traitors you need me to spy on?"

Hopefully the Dark Lord would not require Lucius to spy on these Blood Traitors for too long.


	3. The Problem and the Plan

It was late at night when Abraxas Malfoy approached Healer Roberts at St. Mungo's.

"Mr. Malfoy," Roberts said in surprise. He recognized Abraxas Malfoy by sight, even though it had been a long time since the elder Malfoy had been seen outside the walls of Malfoy Manor. Besides, the resemblance between Abraxas and Lucius (despite Abraxas's old age) was uncanny.

"I've been told that you're the one who's been looking after my daughter-in-law during her pregnancy," Abraxas spoke.

"Yes, that's right. Do you have concerns about the care she's been receiving?"

"She seems happy with you," Abraxas replied. "I do have a concern, though. I have not received any information on any of her checkups. I know nothing about my grandchild. Why is that?"

"That would be because of your son," Roberts responded. "Before Narcissa Malfoy's first checkup, he had signed some documents indicating that only he and his wife could receive any information regarding the baby. And I can assure you, Mr. Malfoy, that those documents are perfectly legal."

"Of course it would be my son who's responsible for this," Abraxas sneered. "But that is of no concern to me. I am the baby's grandfather. I have the _right_ to know about it."

"Forgive me, Mr. Malfoy," Roberts spoke, "but your son made it quite clear that he didn't want you involved in any way. And he had every legal right to make that request."

"I don't care about some stupid legal documents," Abraxas snarled. "I am Abraxas Malfoy. People do not keep information from _me_."

"Is that a threat, Mr. Malfoy? Because if it is-"

"You aren't going to say or do anything," Abraxas interrupted, "because I happen to know that you have a wife and a little baby of your own. A little girl, am I right?"

Roberts paled. "No," he said. "You wouldn't. I'll get the Aurors on you."

"Go ahead," Abraxas sneered, "but you won't be able to prove anything. Besides, none of those pathetic Aurors would dare do anything to me. Many of them also have families."

"What do you want to know, Mr. Malfoy?" Roberts asked in a defeated voice.

"Everything," Abraxas smiled. "The baby's gender. The baby's magical health. The baby's physical health. Everything of value and importance."

* * *

><p>The Dark Lord was waiting for Abraxas in his study when the elder Malfoy returned from St. Mungo's.<p>

"My Lord," Abraxas greeted in surprise but also warmly. "It has been a while since I've last seen you. Welcome to Malfoy Manor. Would you like something to drink or eat?"

"There will be no need for any of that," the Dark Lord responded, "even though I appreciate your hospitality, my friend. I'm sorry to say this, but I'm afraid that the purpose for my visit tonight is not just a mere social call."

"What is the problem?" Abraxas asked, sitting down on the couch and motioning for the Dark Lord to take a seat as well. "Does it have something to do with Lucius?"

"As a matter of fact, it does," the Dark Lord answered as he took a seat on the sofa across from Abraxas. "He has not been himself lately. He seems a bit distracted, actually, as if he has something on his mind that he considers to be more important than serving _me_.

"I suspect it has something to do with his wife and his coming baby. Now don't get me wrong. I consider it very important for my Death Eaters to keep their family lines alive. And most of them are married or about to be married.

"But your son isn't like the others. I can't help but think that he would rather be with his wife than with me. I could understand more if she wasn't already pregnant, but since she clearly is, there is no reason for Lucius to pay her any more attention. My other Death Eaters do not seem to have this same problem with their spouses.

"My dear Abraxas, I really would hate to lose Lucius. He was, after all, your gift to me; and he is usually a very obedient and a very valuable servant."

"I can assure you, my Lord," Abraxas spoke, "that I feel the same exact way as you do. I don't know what my son's problem is. Lucius, like you said, is usually a very good boy. Plus, he is my only son and heir, and I would like to keep him if possible. I really do not want to go to the trouble of having to find another wife just so that I can have an heir to carry on the Malfoy name to the next generation."

"Of course," the Dark Lord responded. "That is why, then, your son's problem needs to be eliminated. I need his full devotion and loyalty, or he is of no more use to me. Like you, though, I don't want that to happen. Your friendship over all these years means a lot to me, and I also do not want to see the Malfoy name die out with you and Lucius. Not if there is another way to deal with our problem."

"I have already been developing some plans," Abraxas said, "and those plans have just been confirmed by you, my Lord, and also by the conversation that I just had with my daughter-in-law's Healer. Apparently there is something wrong with the baby, and I won't tolerate any _defects_. I have too much pride in the Malfoy name to allow that to happen. I will only accept the _best_ in any grandchild of mine."

"Are you sure about this, Abraxas, my friend?" the Dark Lord asked. "This baby, after all, is your son's possible heir."

"Lucius is still young," Abraxas replied, "as is his wife. Besides, she fell pregnant with this baby rather quickly. I doubt she and Lucius will have that much of a problem with conceiving another child, a _better_ child, a child more _worthy_ to carry on the Malfoy name to the next generation."

"Your devotion to eliminating any weakness in the Malfoy family line is much appreciated and respected by me," the Dark Lord smiled. "You are a true champion of blood purity. But are you sure that this will eliminate our problem with Lucius?"

"Absolutely, my Lord," Abraxas said. "Lucius will be so absolutely _devastated_ by the loss of his first baby that his heart will harden. Especially when I remind him of all the Muggles, Mudbloods, and Blood Traitors out there that actually have living children, while he has _nothing_. You see, my Lord, Lucius has been exposed before to the unfairness of this world when it comes to us Purebloods versus the other _creatures_ out there. Lucius has seen before the inferior and the filthy receiving more rights and care than _him_. Losing his baby will remind my son of why his duty to you is so important."

"Then do what you must," the Dark Lord responded. "I do not care about this baby either way, especially if it is _defected _in some way. Like you, I also will not tolerate any weakness or imperfections in a child of a Pureblood. My only concern is Lucius's loyalty."

"And you shall have it, my Lord," Abraxas smiled.


	4. The Great Tragedy

Abraxas's house-elf, Brenan, watched as his master poured a potion into the tea meant for Narcissa. Abraxas then used his wand to stir the potion until it was no longer noticeable.

"Brenan," Abraxas spoke, "give this tea to Dobby, so that he can give it to my daughter-in-law. I know that she won't accept anything that comes from you. Make sure, though, that Dobby doesn't tell her that he got the tea from you."

"Yes, Master," Brenan replied.

"And you didn't see anything," Abraxas added.

"I didn't see anything," Brenan agreed with a twisted smile before disappearing with a crack.

This would end up being a routine that would repeat itself regularly throughout the rest of Narcissa's pregnancy.

* * *

><p>It was late at night when Narcissa suddenly sat up in her bed.<p>

"What's wrong?" Lucius asked sleepily from beside her.

"It's the baby," Narcissa gasped. "Lucius, I think it's time."

Lucius blinked, at first not comprehending his wife's words in his semi-asleep state. Then, his eyes became wide.

"The baby," he breathed, throwing off the blankets covering him and Narcissa. "Are you going to be able to make it to St. Mungo's?"

"Yes, I believe so," Narcissa replied, her voice somehow both calm and panicky at the same time. "My water just broke only a moment ago. We should still have some time."

Lucius used his wand to summon some outer clothes for him and Narcissa. He wasn't willing to waste any time.

"Dobby," he called out.

The house-elf appeared with a crack. "Yes, Master."

"Tell the Healers at St. Mungo's that we're on our way. Tell them that Narcissa is in labor."

* * *

><p>"Push," Roberts encouraged Narcissa. "You need to keep on pushing."<p>

"What do you think I've been doing this whole time, taking a nap?" Narcissa snapped.

Lucius was about to say something to the Healer as well, but he was stopped by his wife suddenly squeezing his hand, very hard. Where had she gotten this inhuman strength from? Was this normal?

Lucius managed to keep himself from crying out. The same, though, could not be said of Narcissa. Her screams were loud and piercing.

Lucius had not realized that having a baby would be this painful. Why had no one told him this?

Roberts and his assistants were not fazed by Narcissa's angry outburst, no doubt because they were used to it.

"I can see the baby's head," Roberts cried out. "You're doing great, Mrs. Malfoy. It won't be much longer now."

"That's easy for you to say!" Narcissa screamed. "You're not the one in pain!"

_But does that mean I have to be in pain as well?_ Lucius couldn't help thinking when Narcissa once again squeezed his hand, even harder than the last time. Why had he given her his hand in the first place? Why hadn't Roberts or one of his assistants warned him about this?

Despite his pain, though, Lucius watched in fascination as his and Narcissa's baby began to come out.

_That's our first child_, Lucius thought happily.

"The baby's out, Mrs. Malfoy," Roberts spoke. His joy, though, was quickly replaced by worry and concern.

Lucius was too happy to notice the worried expressions on the faces of Roberts and his assistants.

Narcissa was also looking happy, despite her obvious wariness. She shared a tired but warm smile with her husband.

Roberts pointed his wand at the baby several times, but nothing happened. The baby remained silent and unmoving. The assistants held their breaths anxiously.

Then, Lucius and Narcissa finally noticed the way that Roberts and his assistants were looking. The two Malfoys also noticed that the room was now usually silent.

Wasn't the baby supposed to be crying? That was what they had been told.

"What's going on?" Narcissa gasped. "Why isn't the baby crying? Is there something wrong with the baby? Why isn't the baby crying?"

At first, Roberts (who was holding the silent baby) did not say anything. But the expression on his face told the whole story.

"No," Narcissa breathed in disbelief. "No."

Lucius felt his wife's grip on his hand go limp, but he barely paid any attention to that. His eyes were completely focused on Roberts. And on his and Narcissa's silent, unmoving baby.

Lucius took several breaths to compose himself. He couldn't, however, bring himself to look at Narcissa.

"What's wrong?" Lucius asked calmly, almost emotionlessly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," Roberts spoke in choked voice, "but the baby isn't breathing. And there's nothing I can do to fix that."

Both Lucius and Narcissa were stuck speechless for a moment. Then, Narcissa released a scream of despair and angst.

Lucius could not help but wince slightly at Narcissa's scream, but he somehow managed to keep himself composed. He just stood there, his body completely stiff.

Narcissa then broke into uncontrollable sobs.

Lucius wanted to cry as well, but all his years of Pureblood breeding and training were able to kick in. He wouldn't break down. He couldn't break down. Not here. Not now. Not ever.

Instead, Lucius placed all of his attention and thoughts into comforting Narcissa. He bent down at his waist and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He made soothing sounds as Narcissa cried on his shoulder.

Roberts and his assistant could only watch on with agony.

"We are truly sorry for your loss," Roberts said.

Narcissa didn't hear the Healer over her sobs, but Lucius did.

"How did this happen?" Lucius asked Roberts angrily, still holding Narcissa. "Why is our baby dead? What did _you _do wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy," Roberts replied, somehow managing to keep his voice calm and composed, "but there was nothing that I could have done to prevent this from happening. Sometimes babies come out stillborn, and there's really no way to prevent that from happening. We just don't know enough about it. I'm very sorry."

"Save your sorries for when it actually means something and for when it's actually of some _real _use," Lucius snapped.

"I understand how you're feeling, Mr. Malfoy."

"No, you don't! Enough with your false pity! We don't need it!" If Lucius had not been concerned about comforting a still sobbing Narcissa, he would have went over to the Healer to strangle him.

"We will give you and Mrs. Malfoy some time alone," Roberts responded, clearly seeing the murderous expression on Lucius's face.

"Wait!" Narcissa cried out, her tears now semi-controlled. "I want to hold my baby. It's still my baby. It's still my baby."

Roberts hesitated. "I don't think that would be a good idea," he finally said. "It will only make things harder."

"I want to hold my baby," Narcissa repeated firmly. "I _need _to hold my baby. I need to _see_ my baby."

With some reluctance, Roberts walked over to Narcissa and handed her the dead baby.

Narcissa looked down at it. Lucius forced himself to look as well. He would stay composed. He _needed_ to stay composed for Narcissa's sake. She needed his strength right now.

"It's a girl," Narcissa breathed. "It's a little girl."

_A girl. His daughter. His little girl._

_His little Narcissa._

Narcissa held the dead baby close to her chest as she began to cry again with a renewed vengeance, her tears falling onto the baby's head.

Lucius, meanwhile, pulled his wife closer to him, refusing to touch or even to look again at what should have been his living, breathing precious little daughter.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note<strong>**: I decided to make the baby a stillborn instead of a miscarriage because there was just something about the emotional impact of Narcissa going through labor, only to learn afterwards that it was all for nothing. There was also something about the emotional impact of Narcissa holding a dead baby. I hope I wrote Lucius's and Narcissa's reactions okay because that part really had me nervous. How do you write parents that have just heard the worse news possible? I really don't know.**


	5. For the Best

**Author's Note****: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. I hope that you all enjoy this final chapter.**

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><p>There was definitely something nagging Healer Roberts about Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's stillborn daughter. The baby had been a girl. That had come of no surprise, of course, as Roberts had known beforehand that the baby would be a girl. And because of that fact, Roberts could not help but think about Abraxas Malfoy. Several months ago, the elder Malfoy had threatened Roberts into telling him the gender of the baby. And Abraxas had seemed to have been angry when he had learned that the baby would be a girl.<p>

It was too much of a coincidence. Roberts wondered if he should or should not say something to Lucius Malfoy. This was, after all, Lucius Malfoy's _father_ that Roberts was thinking of accusing. And Lucius Malfoy probably would not appreciate having the Healer who had failed to deliver his daughter alive accusing his own father of having had something to do with the baby's death.

Perhaps Roberts was looking too much into this. A stillbirth was not common in the magical community, but it wasn't totally abnormal either.

But if Abraxas Malfoy did have something to do with the death of his own granddaughter, then his son and his son's wife deserved to know.

"Healer Roberts," a voice suddenly spoke from the shadows.

Roberts jumped, immediately recognizing the voice. It was Abraxas Malfoy.

Abraxas stepped out of the shadows right in front of Roberts.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened to my granddaughter," Abraxas drawled. "Fortunately for you, us Purebloods like to keep our shames hidden from the public. A stillborn daughter of two Purebloods, especially two Purebloods from wealthy, respected families such as the Malfoys and the Blacks; well, that would ruin the reputations of both families. The baby clearly must have been _defected_ to have been a stillborn, and Purebloods simply do not have defects in their families. The stillborn, therefore, must remain a secret. Have I made myself clear?"

"Very clear, Mr. Malfoy," Roberts answered.

"There is something else on your mind," Abraxas sneered. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I knew you were very unhappy when I told you that the baby was going to be a girl," Roberts responded, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

Abraxas laughed. "You actually think _I _had something to do with this tragedy? Unbelievable. The _nerve_ of you. I am Abraxas Malfoy. Don't you realize what that means? Yet, you still _dare_ to accuse me of doing something so horrendous. Truly unbelievable. The baby was _defected_ in some way. Perhaps it was a Squib. But it was most definitely a defect."

"Perhaps," Roberts readily agreed, trying not to show his fear. "Forgive me, Mr. Malfoy. I am just trying to make sense out of this tragedy."

"Of course," Abraxas said. "I can understand that. But don't think for a moment that you can stretch my understanding by too much. I will not tolerate such false and terrible accusations.

"Besides, I do not think you would want the Wizarding community knowing that you couldn't successfully deliver a baby from such prominent Pureblood parents. It wouldn't look good to the other Pureblood families out there. I doubt they would want to come to you when their wives fall pregnant, for fear that they might_ also_ lose their babies because of your incompetency. They can ruin you, Healer. And then what would become of your wife and your little baby girl? You wouldn't be able to support them. We Purebloods hold all the power and all the influence. Don't ever forget that."

"I understand," Roberts responded. "You need not worry. I will not speak of this matter ever again."

"Good," Abraxas smiled. "Very good. I'm glad that we were able to come to this understanding. I would have hated to have seen any lives ruined over such an _insignificant_ matter."

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><p>"What should we name our daughter?" Lucius asked his wife, sitting down beside her on their bed and gently taking her hand.<p>

"What?" Narcissa breathed, clearly taken by surprise.

"I just thought you might want to bury her," Lucius explained, "and it wouldn't be fair to her if her tombstone didn't have a name on it."

"You want to give her a proper burial?"

"Of course. She is still our daughter. She will _always_ be our daughter."

"Your father will fight you on this," Narcissa sighed wearily. "I have heard him insisting that the baby must have been a Squib to have been a stillborn. Your father will not want a potential Squib to be buried with the rest of the Malfoys."

"Leave my father to me," Lucius said. "I will not allow him to get in the way of this. But I am tired of referring to our daughter as a 'she.' _She_ needs a proper name."

"Well," Narcissa responded, "I really have no idea of what I want to name her. It's just hard for me to think about much of anything these days. I do know, however, that I want our daughter named after a constellation. You have told me before that you liked that Black family tradition."

"That sounds good to me," Lucius breathed. "Our daughter deserves to be a constellation, no matter what anyone else might say."

Narcissa smiled at Lucius in appreciation.

At that moment, Lucius felt his Dark Mark burning.

"He knows that we've just lost our daughter," Lucius hissed in anger. "I heard my father telling him all about it the other day."

"It's all right, Lucius," Narcissa spoke in a hollow voice. "I need some time alone anyways. Maybe I'll be able to think of a good name for our daughter."

Lucius stood up without a word. Narcissa, though, could clearly see that her husband was shaking with uncontrollable rage.

"Calm yourself, Lucius," Narcissa spoke soothingly, grabbing his hand and rubbing it. "You cannot take your grief out on the Dark Lord. He will not be able to understand your pain."

Lucius stood still for a few moments, taking several deep breaths in order to compose himself. Then, he left the room without saying anything.

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><p>"My Lord," Lucius greeted the Dark Lord in a voice that betrayed nothing. He then looked around and realized that they were alone. "Where are the others?"<p>

"I only wanted to speak with you today, Lucius," the Dark Lord answered. "There are things we need to get out of the way."

Lucius suddenly heard the sounds of children laughing nearby.

"We are near a Muggle playground," the Dark Lord explained.

Lucius didn't trust himself to respond, so he remained silent.

"I understand that you just suffered a loss," the Dark Lord spoke, "but your daughter was clearly weak, especially considering that she was too weak to have even taken a single breath. And as Purebloods, we cannot tolerate any weakness in our ranks. All weakness must be eliminated, no matter the cost. You know all of this already, Lucius."

"Forgive me, my Lord," Lucius replied in a strangely calm voice, "but you have to be mistaken. There is no way that a child born of a Malfoy and a Black could have been weak. Both Narcissa and I are Purebloods from families that are known to be noble and ancient."

"That is true," the Dark Lord admitted, "but _any_ family, no matter how great it is, can have its defects. Look at your wife's oldest sister, Andromeda, for instance. Didn't she marry some Mudblood? And let's not forget your wife's cousin, Sirius. He has completely turned his back on our beliefs. As hard as it is to accept, mistakes sometimes do happen, even in the best and most perfect of families."

Lucius shook his head, but he didn't say anything.

"It is because of the Muggles," the Dark Lord sighed. "They are tainting us just by breathing the very same air that we breathe. And more and more wizarding families that used to be Purebloods are losing their purity by marrying these filthy Muggles. They are everywhere, Lucius, trying to suffocate us.

"And who's to say that betrayals such as the ones made by Andromeda and Sirius are not signs that, at some point in the past, a Muggle had tainted the Black family line?

"This was not Narcissa's fault," Lucius snarled, forgetting for a moment who he was speaking to.

"You forget yourself, Lucius," the Dark Lord breathed dangerously. "But I will excuse you this time because of your grief. But do not try my patience further. I have been more than understanding towards your plight. You should be more grateful."

Lucius didn't say anything.

"As I was saying," the Dark Lord spoke in a calmer voice, "mistakes sometimes do happen in Pureblood families. And it's all because of those filthy Muggles out there. They must be eliminated, Lucius, if we do not want to die out completely. You know all of this already."

Lucius suddenly heard the sound of a baby crying. He visibly stiffened.

"See how unfair the world is, Lucius," the Dark Lord breathed. "Those Muggles are happy with their babies, while _you_ have no baby. And if the Muggles are not stopped, they will continue to have babies. And those babies will continue to taint Purebloods such as ourselves when they marry us and cause us to have _impure_ babies. It is inevitable, especially as the Muggle population continues to grow, while the Wizarding population continues to disappear."

The baby cried again. Lucius's face tightened in anger, but whether that anger was directed towards the baby or towards the Dark Lord or even towards the both of them was not clear.

"You can prevent another tragedy from happening, Lucius," the Dark Lord spoke soothingly. "But in order to do that, you must give yourself fully to the Pureblood cause. You must give yourself fully to _me_. I am the one who will lead us Purebloods into a new and better world, a world where we will be able to have children without any fear that they will be _defected_ in some way. Is that not what you want, Lucius? Don't you want to be happy?"

"Of course I do," Lucius muttered.

The baby cried once again. The children began to laugh even louder. And Lucius began to tremble with anger.

"Listen to how happy _they_ are," the Dark Lord snarled. "And to think, they are inferior to you. Yet, _they_ are the ones with all the happiness. What are you going to do about that, Lucius? Are you going to allow that to continue, or are you going to do whatever it takes to make sure that what happened to your daughter never happens again?"

Lucius turned to look at the Dark Lord. "I am going to honor my daughter's memory," he said in a cold voice. "I will not allow her death to have been in vain."

The Dark Lord smiled.

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><p>"Narcissa," Lucius spoke as he walked into their favorite study, where his wife was reclining on the couch. "Narcissa, I have thought of the perfect name for our daughter."<p>

Lucius sat down beside his wife and gently took her hand. "That is, of course, if you have not already picked out a name for her."

"Actually, I haven't," Narcissa said softly. "What do you have in mind, Lucius?"

"Ara," Lucius breathed. "Ara Malfoy."

Narcissa thought about it for a moment. Then, she smiled. "That name is indeed perfect for her. Thank you, Lucius."

"What is this?" came Abraxas's voice. "You're naming it? It's dead. Why does _it_ need a name for?"

Narcissa quickly placed a restraining hand on Lucius's arm to keep him from drawing his wand.

"Ara," Lucius snarled at his father. "Her name is _Ara_. Don't you ever forget that. And Narcissa and I are going to bury her, Father. We're going to bury her with the rest of the Malfoys."

Abraxas was stuck completely speechless. His anger, though, was obvious.

"Ara may have been nothing more than a defect and a mistake to _you_," Lucius continued, "but to us, she is reminder of all that is wrong with this world. She is a reminder of why we need to fight to keep ourselves alive and free of all the filth below us."

The angry expression on Abraxas's smile was quickly replaced by a very pleased and satisfied smile.

"I'm glad to hear that, Lucius," Abraxas said. "I'm glad to hear that you have your priorities straight."

"Always," Lucius breathed.

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><p><span><strong>Author's Note<strong>**: Ara is the name of a constellation. It is Latin for "altar." An altar, of course, is used for religious purposes for making offerings and sacrifices. In my personal headcanon, most Purebloods are well-educated in many different subjects. Lucius and Narcissa, therefore, have heard a least a little about Muggle religion (even though they really don't agree with any of it). The name Ara also has ties with mythology, a subject in which both Lucius and Narcissa are well-versed in. **

**In one Greek myth, Ara represents the altar that Zeus and the other Greek gods used to swear a vow of allegiance before their war against Cronus and the Titans. In another Greek myth, Ara represents the altar of Lycaon, the king of Arcadia who fed Zeus a dismembered child and then tried to kill Zeus afterwards. **

**Another fact about Ara is that one of the constellations located near it is the constellation Scorpius. It is kind of nice to think that Scorpius is drifting near the aunt that he will never get the chance to know.**

**Additional Author's Note****: For those of you who wanted to see baby Draco in this final chapter, I just didn't think that it would fit. This is an angst story, and baby Draco would have ruined that angst. Also, I believe that Draco's birth deserves a story of its own. There will be several sequels to this story.  
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